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Javed Akhtar becomes first Indian to win prestigious Richard Dawkins Award

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Jun 07, 2020, 09:57 PM IST
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Javed Akhtar Photograph:(Pinterest)

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The award which is named after English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has been honouring people around the globe since 2003. 

Veteran poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar has become the first Indian to win Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for his critical thinking, advancing human progress and humanist values.

The award which is named after English evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has been honouring people around the globe since 2003. 

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According to Centre for Inquiry (CFI) which gives this annual award, ''the recipient will be a distinguished individual from the worlds of science, scholarship, education or entertainment, who publicly proclaims the values of secularism and rationalism, upholding scientific truth wherever it may lead''.

On Sunday, actor Shabana Azmi and his wife shared the information on her Twitter handle, ''Such marvellous news. Congratulations @Javedakhtarjadu. To win an award from your Hero is the ultimate validation,'' she wrote further.

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Meanwhile, Bollywood stars Anil Kapoor and Dia Mirza also congratulated the veteran writer through social media posts.

"Knowing that Richard Dawkins has been your hero since you read `The Selfish Gene`, the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award must be extra special for you @Javedakhtarjadu Saab! It`s a truly incredible honour! Congratulations," Anil Kapoor wrote.

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Dia Mirza wished the lyricist and wrote, "Javed Akhtar Saab has won the prestigious Richard Dawkins Award 2020 for critical thinking, holding religious dogma up to scrutiny, advancing human progress and humanist values. He is the only Indian to have won this award! @Javedakhtarjadu Congratulations! You make us proud,"

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National award winner Javed Akhtar has written the screenplay for iconic movies like 'Deewar', 'Zanjeer', and 'Sholay' along with Salim Khan.